LeFlore Co. Jury Finds Retired Cop Guilty Of Raping Child

Following two days of testimony, the panel of seven men and five women deliberated for less than two hours before reaching the verdict and recommending a sentence of 30 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Jones, 65, of Arkoma, is convicted of having sexual contact with a preteen girl between October 2006 and February 2007. A May 6 trial ended in a mistrial when a witness testified to a matter the judge had previously excluded from testimony.

At the time of the crime, Jones had already retired from law enforcement.

Jones testified Wednesday that he served twice with the Arkoma Police Department, first from 1983-85; served as a Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Department reserve officer and jailer from 1985-89; and was Moffett police chief from 1991-95.

When defense attorney Rob Cowan asked Jones if he had ever inappropriately touched the girl, Jones replied, “No. I never.”

He also denied hitting or threatening her.

Jones stated that the girl fabricated the allegations because she didn’t want to stay with him and his wife. He said at one point, he called the girl’s father and had her removed from his home because she was causing trouble.

Jones also denied inappropriately touching, having intercourse with or inappropriately spanking two other witnesses who testified Tuesday that Jones had sexually and physically abused them over a three-year period more than 20 years ago. They testified that he threatened them to keep them from disclosing his actions.

Asked if there was a reason for the younger of the two to fabricate stories about him, Jones said yes.

“I assisted her mother in putting her father in jail,” Jones said.

The woman’s mother later testified that Jones regularly beat her with a nightstick, and beat her two daughters with a belt, switches and paddles.

In closing arguments, Cowan contended the girl lied in 2007 when she brought the allegations against Jones and throughout the court proceedings.

“The devil is in the details,” Cowan said, reminding jurors of discrepancies in the victim’s statement regarding time line, to whom she’d disclosed the abuse and her inability to supply any details about the sexual encounters.

In her closing arguments, Assistant District Attorney Margaret “Meg” Nicholson told the jurors the testimony of Jones’ three child victims meshed. The two women who alleged Jones molested them two decades ago testified that he went to their bedrooms after they went to sleep, as did the more recent victim.

Humans, Nicholson said, are creatures of habit. According to the victims’ testimony, Jones used their fevers as an excuse to sexually grope their bodies. They were afraid to tell anyone because he was a police officer and they feared nothing would be done, Nicholson said.

“And today his dirty little secret is out in the open, and I ask you to find him guilty and send him to prison,” Nicholson said.

Under Oklahoma law, Jones would have to serve 25½ years of a 30-year sentence before he could be considered for parole.

District Judge Jon Sullivan set formal sentencing for Aug. 7. As required by state law, a pre-sentence investigation will be performed to determine any mitigating or enhancing history that may affect Jones’ sentencing. Jones has no prior criminal history, according to court testimony.